FR3029348A1 - DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for protecting an electrical control system (2) operable by an operating member (20) and arranged in a control panel (3), comprising: - a body (19) having a longitudinal axis intended to extend perpendicularly to a wall of said control panel (3), - a rotatable cover (11) movable relative to the barrel (10) between a rest position in which it prevents access to said body ( 20), and an access position in which it allows access to this member (20), - a first cam (14) integral in rotation with the cover (11), - a second cam (12) movable in translation with respect to the body (19) in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the cover (11) and biased towards the first cam (14) by an elastic member (13), - the first and the second cam having complementary profiles (P1, P2) adapted to successively provide: (i) a first interlocking stab the two cams in the rest position, (ii) a translation of the second cam (12) against the biasing of the elastic member (13) under the effect of the rotation of the first cam (14) (iii) a second stable engagement of the two cams in the access position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for protecting an electrical control system, as well as a control panel comprising at least one such electrical control system and said device. protection. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Different vehicles or machines may include one or more electrical control systems, such as switches or switches for example, manually operable by an operator. The electric control system is for example on the dashboard of a vehicle, within reach of the driver.

To avoid inadvertent actuation of the operating member of the control system, it is known to arrange in the vicinity thereof a protective device comprising a rotating cover movable between a rest position in which it prohibits access to the actuating member and thus prevents actuation thereof, and an access position to said actuating member, wherein it allows access to the organ and thus allows its action. In the known protection devices, the axis of rotation of the cover is parallel to the support on which is arranged the electrical control system (for example a dashboard) and perpendicular to the main direction of actuation of the operating member .

The amplitude of rotation of the cover is about 900, the rest position (which corresponds to a low position) being substantially parallel to the support on which the electrical control system is arranged, and the access position (which corresponds to a raised position) being substantially perpendicular to said support. However, these protective devices have unsatisfactory ergonomics, insofar as the gripping area of the hood is small and where the movement to be applied to the hood to raise it is not very intuitive. Another disadvantage of these protective devices is that the mechanical structure that allows rotation of the cover and the maintenance thereof in the rest position or stable access is arranged above - that is to say on the visible side - of the electrical control system support. This arrangement poses a problem of protection of the components: in fact, since they are exposed to the ambient environment and to possible projections of fluids, it is necessary to provide anti-corrosion treatment of the sensitive components. On the other hand, the mechanical structure arranged on the visible face of the support, which has a certain size, is unattractive.

Finally, the rotation mode of the cover does not lend itself well to the detection of the passage from one position to another by means of a sensor in cases where it is desired to reinforce the security provided by the protection device by adding to the electric control system electrical safety according to the detected position of the hood.

Indeed, the detection of the passage from one position to another is unreliable and not robust in this configuration of the rotary cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is therefore to design a device for protecting an electrical control system that is more ergonomic and more aesthetic than existing devices, while being suitable, when desired, for detection. Reliable and robust of a position change by a sensor. To this end, the invention relates to a device for protecting an electric control system operable by an operating member and arranged in a control panel, comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis intended to extend perpendicularly to a wall of said control panel; - a rotatable cover, movable about an axis of rotation coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said body, between a rest position in which it prevents access to said operating member so as to prevent a power of the electric control system, and an access position in which it allows access to the operating member for manual actuation by a user, - a first cam and a second cam housed in said body the first cam being integral in rotation with said cap, and the second cam being movable only in translation relative to the body in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam; pot and biased towards the first cam by an elastic member, - the first and second cam having cam profiles adapted to each other to successively provide, from the rest position to the access position: i) a first stable engagement in said axial direction of the first and second cam in the rest position, (ii) a translation of the second cam in said axial direction against the biasing of the elastic member under the effect of the rotation of the first cam, to an unstable equilibrium position beyond which the elastic member drives the second cam in translation towards the first cam, (iii) a second stable engagement according to said axial direction of the first and second cam in the access position. Thanks to these features of the invention, the handling of the cover is more ergonomic since it rotates about an axis perpendicular to the wall of the control panel in which the operating member of the electrical control system is arranged. According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features of the invention, taken alone or in combination: the rotary cover and the body are intended to be arranged on either side of the wall of a control panel equipped with said device electrically controlled, the profile of the second cam comprises a pointed protrusion extending in the axial direction towards the first cam, the profile of the first cam comprises two pointed notches 20 extending in the axial direction, the first cam comprises a stop adapted to limit the relative rotation of the first cam vis-à-vis the second cam, the device comprises a position sensor arranged near the body and cooperating with the first cam so as to detect a displacement of said first cam between the rest position and the access position, the rotatable cover comprises a gripping area adapted to a finger of a user. The invention also relates to a control panel comprising at least one electrical control system and a protection device as mentioned above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a protective device according to to the invention, respectively in the rest position and in the access position to the operating member of a switch, - Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of a protection device according to the invention, - the FIG. 3 is a perspective view of such a device in the bonnet rest position; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of said device during its transition from the rest position to the access position to the bonnet member; maneuver (unstable position), - Figure 5 is a perspective view of said device in its access position to the actuating member, - Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the device according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the rest of the description, the references to the terms "low", "high", "upper" and "lower" are to be taken into consideration with respect to the position of the device shown in FIGS. 6. In Figures 1A and 1B, there can be seen a protective device 1 of an electrical control system 2 arranged on a control panel 3 of which only a wall 30 is visible.

The electrical control system 2 is actuated by an operating member 20, such as a switch, for example. In the region of the protective device 1 and the actuator 20 the wall 30 is preferably substantially planar. In the embodiment shown in the figures, this operating member 20 is a push button, driven by depression along an axis X1-X1, perpendicular to the wall 30. However, other devices such as toggle switches or Lever could be used. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, it can be seen that the protective device 1 comprises a rotatable cover 11, rotatable about an axis of rotation X2-X'2 perpendicular to the wall 30 on which this rotatable cover is arranged. In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, in which the operating member 20 is a push button, the axes X2-X'2 and X1-X'1 are parallel. The rotary cover 11 is movable between a so-called "rest" position, (shown in FIG. 1A), in which it prevents access to the operating member 20, so as to prevent the actuation of the electrical control system 2, and a so-called "access" position, (shown in FIG. 1B), in which it authorizes access to the operating member 20, for the purpose of manual actuation by a user.

An exemplary embodiment of the protection device 1 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 6. In addition to the rotatable cover 11, the protective device 1 comprises a body 19 comprising a barrel 10 assembled with an endpiece 16, an axis 15, a first cam 14, a second cam 12, a resilient member 13 and a guide ring 17. These various elements are described in more detail below. The tip 16 comprises a cylindrical side wall 160 whose inner face is threaded over at least a portion of its height, the thread being referenced 161.

The cylindrical wall 160 is closed at its lower end by a bottom 162 having in its central portion a cylindrical housing 163, sized to receive the cylindrical lower end of the shaft 15, and to guide the latter in rotation. The barrel 10 is cylindrical, open at both ends. Near its upper end, the barrel 10 has two successive shoulders, referenced 101 and 102, which reduce its diameter gradually, relative to the diameter of its central portion. The shoulder 102 is provided with an annular groove 103 for receiving a seal 104. The upper end 105 of the barrel 10 has on its outer face a threading 106. The threading 106 cooperates with a nut 18, which nut to come to press the wall 30 of the control panel 3 against the shoulder 102 and the seal 104 thus ensuring a sealed mounting of the barrel 10 within this control panel.

The lower end of the barrel 10 has on its outer face a thread 107, adapted to cooperate with the tapping 161 provided on the tip 16. It is thus possible to screw the lower end of the barrel 10 inside the endpiece 16 to form the body 19 and this after having housed the various components of the device. Finally, the barrel 10 has at its lower end two longitudinal guide notches 108. These notches are parallel to the axis X2-X'2. They open at the base of the barrel 10. Preferably, these notches 108 are diametrically opposed. The axis 15 has a cylindrical trunk 150 whose outer diameter substantially corresponds, with the clearance, to that of the circular housing 163 of the tip 16. The trunk 150 has an annular shoulder 151, which is extended by an upper fixing end 152, of smaller diameter than the trunk 150. The upper end 152 is pierced with a slot 153, perpendicular to the axis X2-X'2 and intended to receive a pin 154 for fixing the rotary cover 11 on this axis 15. The rotatable hood 11 is thus integral in rotation with the axis 15. Finally, in its substantially median portion, the trunk 150 has a radial annular rib 155, provided with a fixing notch 156 (see FIG. 6). The first cam 14 has the shape of a cylinder 140 partially closed at its upper end by a wall 141 which is pierced by a central bore 142. A locking pin 143 protrudes from the wall 141, upwards. When the shaft 15 and the first cam 14 are assembled, the locking pin 143 is received in the notch 156 and the rib 155 is placed in contact with the wall 141, which serves as a bearing surface. The axis 15 and the first cam 14 are thus integral in rotation. The first cam 14 further has a cam profile (or cam path) Pi, formed in the thickness of its side wall 140 and which has successively a small pointed notch 145 and a large pointed notch 146. The small notch pointed 145 preferably has the shape of a triangle whose tip is oriented towards the top of the first cam 14 and whose flared portion opens at the rim of this cam. The small notch 145 is less high, that is to say shallower than the large notch 146. The small notch 145 has two inclined edges, namely 1451 and 1452 (see Figure 4).

The large notch 146 has a generally triangular general shape, so that it has a first inclined edge 1461 and a second inclined edge 1462 extending downwards by an edge portion parallel to the axis X2-X'2 and referenced 1463, (see also Figure 4). The two songs 1462 and 1461 are contiguous, so that they define between them a point 147 pointing downwards. The song 1463 serves as a stop, as will be explained later. Referring to Figures 2 and 6, it can be seen that the second cam 12 comprises a cylindrical body 120, partially closed at its upper part by an annular wall 121, perpendicular to the axis X2-X'2, and pierced by a central bore 122.

The outer diameter of the body 120 corresponds substantially, with the clearance, to the inside diameter of the cylinder 140 of the first cam 14, so that the body 120 can slide axially inside the first cam 14. In addition, the diameter of the bore 122 substantially corresponds, with the game, to the diameter of the cylindrical trunk 150 of the axis 15, so that the latter can slide axially, as it appears better in Figure 2. The body 120 is bordered at its end lower by a ring 123 of greater diameter.

This ring 123 has on its upper face a cam profile P2 in the form of pointed protuberance 124 whose shape is complementary to that of the large notch 146, so that it has a first inclined edge 1241, a second inclined edge 1242 which is extended by a portion parallel to the axis X2-X'2 (vertical in Figures 4 and 6), referenced 1243, and a point 1244 at the junction between the two songs 1241 and 1242. In addition, the second Cam 12 comprises two lugs 125 protruding radially from the ring 123. Preferably, the two lugs 125 are diametrically opposed. The two pins 125 are intended to be received in the guide notches 108 of the barrel 10, inside which they can slide axially along the axis X2-X'2. The second cam 12 is thus prevented from moving in rotation and can only move axially with respect to the barrel 10. The elastic member 13 is preferably constituted by a compression spring, arranged, as can be seen in FIG. , around the cylindrical trunk 150 of the axis 15 and inside the cylindrical body 120 of the second cam 12. Its lower end rests against the bottom 162 of the tip 16, while its upper end rests against the inner face and bottom of the wall 121.

The compression spring 13 is prestressed when the tip 16 is screwed onto the barrel 10. The elastic member 13 tends permanently to axially move the second cam 12 towards the first cam 14, while the lugs 125 are guided by the guide cams 108. The second cam 12 can be moved axially downwards against the thrust force of the spring 13. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the guide ring 17 is a cylinder 171, bordered at its lower end by a radial flange 172. It is disposed around the body 150 of the axis 15, above the radial rib 155 and inside the barrel 10, in its smaller diameter portion (see Figure 2). The guide ring 17 guides the axis 15 inside the barrel 10. A seal 173 is advantageously disposed between the upper edge of this guide ring 17 and the barrel 10. It seals of the axis 15 rotatable relative to the barrel 10. As can be seen, particularly in FIGS. 1A and 3, the rotatable hood 11 preferably has a pivoting zone 111 and a gripping zone 112.

The pivot zone 111 preferably comprises a cylindrical portion 1110, which extends at its lower part by an annular base 1111 of larger diameter. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a cylindrical blind hole 1112 of axis X2-X'2 is formed inside the body 1110, this blind hole being extended by a cavity 1113 of larger diameter arranged in the base 1111 and opening at the bottom of the cover 11. The blind hole 1112 can receive the end 152 of the axis 15 and the cavity 1113, the nut 18 and the upper end of the barrel 10. The cylindrical portion 1110 is pierced with a light allowing the passage of the pin 154. A possible embodiment of the gripping zone 112 is described below. The gripping zone 112 extends radially from the body 1110 in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to that of the wall 30 of the control panel 3 and including the axis X2-X'2. The gripping zone 112 has two opposed support faces 1120 allowing the handling of the cover 11 by the fingers of the user. This gripping zone 112 also comprises a cover 1121 which extends in a plane substantially parallel to that of the wall 30 above and away from the member 20, so as to hide the latter when the cover 11 is located in the rest position shown in Figure 1A. A recess 1122 may also be provided between the cover 1121 and the body 1110 to house the thumb of the user. The gripping zone 112 also has, near its outer end and its lower face, a recess 1123 (see Figure 3) for receiving a pin 31 (see Figure 1A) which is disposed on the wall 30 perpendicular to that -this. Finally, as can be seen in Figure 3, the gripping zone 112 also has a recess 1124, inside which can be housed the member 20, when the cover 11 is in the rest position.

The gripping zone 112 could have another shape since it comprises a cover 1121 and a location for the fingers of the user. It will be noted, as can be seen in FIG. 2, that the rotatable cover 11 and the body 19 are arranged on either side of the wall 30 of the control panel 3.

The operation of the protection device 1 will now be described in more detail starting from the rest position shown in FIG. 1A.

In this position, the rotatable cover 11 is positioned so that its cover portion 1121 is disposed above the actuator 20 of the electrical control system 2, preventing access thereto. In this rest position, only the point of the pointed protuberance 124 of the second cam enters the small notch 145 because it is shallow, so its flank 1243 does not interact with this notch and the rotation of the first cam 14 can be continued. When the user wishes to access the operating member 20, he rotates the rotatable cover 11 about the axis of rotation X2-X'2, in the direction of the arrow F1 shown in Figure 1A, it is that is to say, by removing the recess 1123 of the pin 31. In so doing, it causes the rotation of the axis 15 and of the first cam 14 associated therewith, until the point 147 of the first cam 14 is brought into position. contact of the tip 1244 of the second cam 12. The device 1 is then in an unstable equilibrium position shown in Figure 4. The rotational movement of the first cam 14 also causes the axial displacement downward of the second cam 12, against the force exerted by the spring 13. When the user continues the rotation in the direction of the arrow F1, it exceeds this unstable equilibrium position and the expansion of the compression spring 13 then causes the displacement axial of the second cam 12 inside the barrel 10 .

This movement is guided by the lugs 125 which cooperate with the guide notches 108 of the body. This results in the further rotation of the first cam 14 which is positioned on the second cam 12, so that the large notch 146 comes to cap the pointed protuberance 124 of the second cam 12. This position is illustrated in Figure 5. This rotation of the first cam 14 causes rotation of the rotary cover 11 to bring it to its access position shown in Figure 1B. In this position, the edge 1243 cooperates with the edge 1463 of the first cam 14, thus limiting the rotational movement that can not continue further in the direction of F1.

When the user wishes to reset the device 1, it rotates the rotary cover 11 in the direction of the arrow F2, shown in Figure 1A, that is to say in the opposite direction of the movement previously performed. The rotational movement of the cover 11 and the first cam 14 causes the axial displacement downwards of the second cam 12 until it returns to the unstable position shown in FIG. 4, then continuing the rotation of the cover 11 reduces the device in the rest position shown in Figure 3. As can be seen in Figure 1A, the rotary cover then comes into abutment against the pin 31 which limits the rotational movement in the direction F2.

The fact of having a first cam 14 with a profile with two notches which cooperate with a pointed protuberance of the profile of the second cam 12 allows to have two indexed positions, that is to say stable, either - of rest » , or - of access ". Other cam profiles are also conceivable since they make it possible to have a rest position, an access position and an unstable equilibrium position. Moreover, by adjusting the shape of the cams, the indexing angles can be varied. Thus, in the example illustrated in the figures, it is necessary to traverse an angular stroke of about 15 ° to pass the hard point (unstable equilibrium point) then a stroke of about 45 ° to rearm the device. These races can be modified by playing on the shapes of the cams. Advantageously, the protection device 1 according to the invention comprises a position detector 4, which makes it possible to detect in which position the rotary mask 11 is located.

It is particularly desirable to detect the rest position, to add electrical safety. An embodiment of a position detector 4 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. The first cam 14 comprises a cavity 148, visible in FIGS. 2 and 5. This cavity 148 opens on the surface of the wall outer surface of the first cam 14. It is preferably disposed above and near the tip of the large notch 146, above the edge 1462. In addition, the position detector 4 comprises a support (wafer) 40, within which a movable control member 41 can slide axially, along an axis Y1-Y1 perpendicular to the axis X2-X'2 and which extends radially relative to the axis 15. This movable member 41 is actuated by a compression spring (not shown in the figures), which constantly tends to press against the outer wall of the first cam 14. The support 40 is fixed on the barrel 10.

When the device 1 is in the rest position, the mobile member 41 rests against the outer face of the first cam 14. During the rotation of this cam, the control member 41 reaches the cavity 148 and enters (position shown in Figure 2). The displacement of this control member 41 has the effect of acting on the detector (for example on an electrical contact of the latter) and to indicate the passage of the rotary cover from the rest position to the access position. The reverse rotation of the cover 11 has the effect of pushing the movable member 41 outward (return to the original position).

To enable the detection of both the closed position and the open position, a second detector diametrically opposed to the first one is used and on the cam 14 is formed a cavity similar to and diametrically opposed to the cavity 148 (FIG. not illustrated).

The protection device 1 has many advantages. Only the rotary cover 11 is visible outside the control panel, the mechanical elements for guiding and indexing the positions (cams) are housed under this panel. We thus gain aesthetics and space on the front face of the wall 30.

The use of complementary cams working axially relative to the axis of rotation 15 reduces the overall size of the device 1. Finally, the use of a position detector 4 makes it possible to reinforce the safety of the device and that of the device. electric control system 2.

Claims (8)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device (1) for protecting an electrical control system (2) operable by an actuating member (20) and arranged in a control panel (3), comprising: - a body (19) having a longitudinal axis for extending perpendicularly to a wall of said control panel (3), - a rotatable cover (11), movable about an axis of rotation (X2-X'2) coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said body (19) between a rest position in which it prevents access to said operating member (20) to prevent actuation of the electrical control system, and an access position in which it allows access to the organ (20) for manual actuation by a user, - a first cam (14) and a second cam (12) housed in said body (19), - the first cam (14) being rotatably secured said hood (11), and the second cam (12) being movable only in translation relative to the body (19) in a di axial rection parallel to the axis of rotation of the cover (11) and biased towards the first cam (14) by a resilient member (13), the first and the second cam having suitable cam profiles (P1, P2) to successively provide, from the rest position to the access position: (i) a first stable interlock in said axial direction of the first (14) and the second cam (12) in the rest position, (ii) a translation of the second cam (12) in said axial direction against the biasing of the elastic member (13) under the effect of the rotation of the first cam (14) up to an unstable equilibrium position beyond which the elastic member (13) drives the second cam (12) in translation towards the first cam (14), (iii) a second stable engagement according to said axial direction of the first (14) and the second cam (12) in the access position. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary cover (11) and the body (10) are intended to be arranged on either side of the wall (30) of the control panel (3) equipped of said electrical control device (2). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the profile (P2) of the second cam (12) comprises a pointed protuberance (124) extending in the axial direction towards the first cam (14). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profile (P1) of the first cam (14) comprises two pointed notches (145, 146) extending in the axial direction. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first cam (14) comprises a stop (1463) adapted to limit the relative rotation of the first cam (14) vis-à-vis the second cam ( 12). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a sensor (4) position arranged near the body (19) and cooperating with the first cam (14) so as to detect a displacement of said first cam (14) between the rest position and the access position. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary cover (11) comprises a gripping zone (112, 1120, 1122) adapted to a finger of a user. 8. Control panel (3) comprising at least one system (2) for electrical control and a device (1) for protecting said control system according to one of claims 1 to 7.25